A variety of stringed instruments are well known for producing musical notes. In these musical instruments, a string is held between two points. The string is caused to vibrate. Vibration of the string causes the production of a musical sound.
A common stringed musical instrument is the guitar. Other stringed instruments are orchestral instruments and include the viola, violin, cello, and base. Many stringed instruments include a finger board, which is typically a long strip of wood against which strings are pressed during play of the instrument. On guitars, the finger board is fitted with small frets against which the strings are pressed so as to produce different musical notes when the strings are plucked on strummed. In violins and cellos, however, the finger board does not include frets. Thus, the musician presses the string against the finger board at exactly the right location so that, when the string is caused to vibrate, the string will produce a note at the desired frequency.
In the guitar and in the orchestral instruments, the strings produce notes by being plucked or strummed. Furthermore, in the orchestral instruments, those instruments produce sound by rubbing a bow against the strings. This causes those strings to vibrate.
A further well known stringed instrument is the piano. In the piano, strings are held taunt between two locations. To produce musical notes, keys are depressed which actuate hammers, which, in turn, strike the strings. By striking the strings with the hammers, the strings produce musical notes.
An interesting guitar is known thanks to the work of musician Ned Evett. In the Evett guitar, the finger board is made of glass. Furthermore, the finger board does not include frets. Thus, for the guitar to produce the correct notes, the guitar strings are pressed by fingers against the glass finger board at exactly the right locations.